Join your fellow professionals at one or both of the Pre-Meeting Workshops being offered at the 2025 ISPN Annual Conference! Receive a discount on registration if you attend both!

Wednesday, March 19, 2025
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Pre-Meeting Workshop 1:
Implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia into Psychiatric Nursing Care
(available at an additional fee)

Elisa Stephens, DNP, PMHNP-BC, RN
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Chronic insomnia is a highly prevalent condition associated with multiple adverse physical and mental health conditions. Insomnia is also one of the most common comorbidities in psychiatric nursing and is associated with an increased risk of suicide. When insomnia is effectively treated, the severity of psychiatric symptoms decreases, and overall daily functioning improves. Despite this, there is a scarcity of clinicians trained in the gold standard of treatment for insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners can help fill this treatment gap when trained to screen for, assess, and incorporate CBT-I into practice. 

CBT-I is a brief therapy that encourages individuals to modify behaviors and thoughts that perpetuate insomnia. Until recently, insomnia treatment relied on the use of pharmacotherapies; however, these medications carry significant risks and the potential for dependency. CBT-I is recommended as a first-line treatment instead of pharmacotherapy because it is just as effective and safer than conventional sleep aids in the short term and more effective in the long term. A growing body of evidence demonstrates significant improvements in sleep and secondary health outcomes in patients receiving nurse-led CBT-I. Nurses who incorporate CBT-I into practice will feel confident knowing their care reflects recommended treatment guidelines. 

Format of the proposed workshop: 

The workshop will be divided into three parts: an introduction to sleep and sleep disorders, an overview of CBT-I, and recommendations on adapting CBT-I into psychiatric nursing. Attendees will learn the foundation of CBT-I and will practice the skills of interpreting sleep logs and calculating sleep efficiency. There will be a review of the various settings in which CBT-I has been effective. Case presentations will demonstrate strategies for the integration of CBT-I into practice. 

Abstract Objectives (and implementation strategies to be employed): 

1. Participants will learn to recognize and screen for insomnia and other common sleep disorders. 

• The gap between treatment guidelines and the current state of practice. 
• Review the diagnostic criteria for insomnia and how to distinguish this from insufficient sleep syndrome. 

CBT-I Workshop | Elisa Stephens 

1. Participants will learn to recognize and screen for primary sleep and circadian rhythm disorders. 

A discussion of insomnia secondary to psychiatric conditions/ medications will provide attendees with an understanding of when CBT-I techniques should be implemented, and the (rare) circumstances when they may be contraindicated. 

2. Participants will gain an understanding of the key principles of CBT-I such as stimulus control, sleep efficiency training, and cognitive restructuring. 

• Participants will learn to recognize behaviors and environments that strengthen sleep cues and bed/bedtime associations. 
• Compare and contrast sleep restriction with sleep consolidation. Discuss safety precautions for implementing sleep restriction. 
• Attendees will discuss anticipated barriers to implementing stimulus control. Suggestions will be made on how to adapt CBT-I to address challenges commonly seen in individuals with mental illness. 
• Practice interpreting sleep logs and calculating sleep efficiency. 
• Strategies that promote behavioral change, such as motivational interviewing will be modeled. 
• Identify examples of common maladaptive beliefs related to sleep and introduce therapeutic techniques for challenging these perceptions. 
• Discuss how to support patients who are reluctant to change their sleep habits or fearful of decreasing their use of sleep aids. 

3. Attendees will learn to incorporate CBT-I techniques into psychiatric nursing practice 

• Participants will achieve an understanding of the consequences of poor sleep on their patients, including negative psychiatric outcomes, increased rates of substance use disorder and relapse, poor responses to treatment, and higher rates of suicide. 
• Review the evidence that demonstrates the efficacy of nurse-led and brief CBT-I interventions. 
• Discuss strategies for incorporating CBT-I into a busy psychiatric nursing practice. Varying degrees of implementation suggestions will cater to the audience’s needs and reflect the attendees' different practice settings and scopes of practice. 

CBT-I Workshop | Elisa Stephens 

• Evaluate the risks and benefits of pharmacologic sleep aids and the role of CBT-I in conjunction with or as a replacement for sleep medications. 
• APRN and NP attendees will be encouraged to: Initiate or refer for CBT-I treatment instead of prescribing sleep aids. 
• Consider using CBT-I in conjunction with pharmacologic treatment. 
• Consider using CBT-I to support patients on tapers off sedative-hypnotics. 
• The workshop will give attendees tangible skills to assess and treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. 

Wednesday, March 19, 2025
1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Pre-Meeting Workshop 2: 
The Evolving Landscape of Women's Mental Health: A Psychopharmacology Workshop
(available for an additional fee)

Tonjanika Ballard, DNP, PMHNP
Unique Holistic Care

Kirby Williams, APRN, PMHNP
The PMHNP Source

Women's mental health is a dynamic and complex field, profoundly influenced by hormonal fluctuations, reproductive events, and unique life experiences. This interactive 3-hour pre-conference workshop provides a comprehensive overview of women's mental health across the lifespan, with a focus on psychopharmacological considerations.

Participants will explore the prevalence and presentation of common mental health disorders in women at various life stages, including puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. The workshop will delve into the physiological impact of hormonal changes on the brain and body, examining the interplay between estrogen, progesterone, and other key hormones across the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, and postmenopause. This exploration will provide a foundation for understanding how these fluctuations influence medication response, side effects, and overall mental well-being.

Specific treatment considerations for conditions like premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and menopause-related mood changes will be discussed. The role of various medication classes, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and medications for anxiety, will be explored in the context of women's specific needs and safety considerations. Strategies for optimizing treatment, such as cycle dosing and managing potential drug interactions, will also be addressed.

Interactive learning will be emphasized through:

• Case study analyses: Small group discussions and presentations to explore real-world cases and develop tailored treatment plans for women with diverse mental health needs.
• Medication management simulations: "Choose your own adventure" scenarios and role-playing exercises to practice prescribing decisions and patient counseling in the context of women's mental health.
• Hormone-medication interaction exploration: Interactive activities to examine the interplay between hormonal fluctuations and medication response, promoting informed prescribing practices.
• Resource sharing and networking: Creation of a shared resource bank and facilitated discussions to connect participants with valuable information and support networks for women's mental health.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the unique psychopharmacological considerations in women's mental health and practical strategies to enhance their clinical practice and improve outcomes for female patients across the lifespan.

Bloom's Taxonomy Objectives:

1. Knowledge (Recall): Identify the prevalence and characteristic presentations of common mental health disorders affecting women across different life stages.
2. Application (Apply): Develop evidence-based psychopharmacological treatment plans for women with mental health disorders, considering hormonal influences, reproductive events, and individual needs.
3. Evaluation (Evaluate): Critically assess the risks and benefits of various psychotropic medications in women, considering potential side effects, drug interactions, and long-term implications.

Up-to-Date Research/Literature (within the past 3 years):

1. Sit, D. K. Y., et al. (2020). A Review of the Psychopharmacological Treatment of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. CNS Drugs, 34(6), 585-603. (Provides a comprehensive review of medication options for perinatal mental health conditions)
2. Taylor, V. M., et al. (2021). Sex differences in the pharmacotherapy of depression. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 219, 107709. (Examines gender-specific differences in antidepressant response and side effects)
3. Soares, C. N., & Epperson, C. N. (2022). Hormonal influences on mood and cognition in women. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 35(6), 544-552. (Explores the complex interplay between hormones and mental health in women)
4. Pearlstein, T. B., et al. (2021). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Burden of Illness and Treatment Update. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 46(1), E56-E68. (This article discusses the effectiveness of intermittent or cycle dosing of SSRIs for PMDD, making it a relevant addition to your workshop and abstract)

For more information on workshop registration fees and to register for the Annual Conference, click here.